1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to machines for forming round bales of windrowed material, and more specifically to such machines that have automatic bale wrapping assemblies for wrapping twine about the completed bales.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Machines for forming cylindrical bales of agriculture crop materials have been known for at least the last decade. However, the use of automatic bale wrapping assemblies with such machines is a recent development. An example of such an assembly is disclosed in two U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,894,484 and 3,913,473. The bale wrapping assembly disclosed in such patents includes a twine dispensing arm that is swung in a generally horizontal arc from one side of a formed bale to the other side by a hydraulic cylinder so that the twine is wrapped in a spiral about the bale as it is rotated.
Although the above assembly reduces certain of the bale wrapping steps required by prior manual bale wrapping assemblies, its operation is dependent upon the use of a one piece dispensing arm that is supported at only one end substantially intermediate the ends of a bale for horizontal swinging movement. Cutting of the twine at the end of a twine wrapping operation is accomplished by a relatively complicated mechanism to provide for extension from the arm, when wrapping is initiated, of a length of twine sufficient to reach between a pair of material pressing rollers located forwardly of the baling zone. Appreciable space to accommodate the swinging arm and twine cutting mechanism is thus required. The present invention sharply differs in structure from that of the above described assembly and employs a telescoping dispensing arm that is supported at both ends at all times during a bale wrapping operation and is positive in action to feed an adequate length of twine line directly into the baling zone.